Taking the family camping this summer, a week in Corwall- Mullion to be precise. I can get a pitch that has an electrical hook up, but we dont have a caravan or anything like that.
We already have a 4 man tent, inflatable mattresses, bags, smallish gas stove etc but no table etc. What do you take that makes things go nice and smoothly? (Other than the weather ;-0 ) Bear in mind we only have an Astra hatchback with a moderate sized roof box on top.
Cheers in advance!
table, seats, crockery.
Munqe-chick had a "what to bring camping" thread a while back...had lots of tips on handy stuff to bring.
- Table and fold-up chairs would be useful
- a decent sized wind break.
- If you have electric hook-up, then I'd consider getting a fridge. Don't forget you'll also need the electric lead/adaptor.
- Plenty of games for if the weather turns inclement
I've got a table not dissimilar to this,
It's lasted me about 20 years so far and is still going strong. Nice thing for getting everyone round on at mealtimes.
some boardgames/ card games (uno) etc & a few local ideas if the weather isn't up to much.
and fold-up camping chairs
Smartphone with charger and lots of episodes of Fireman Sam
Can be a lifesaver.
Lighters (5 for a pound) as your matches will get soggy at some point.
Your own toilet roll.
Comfy seating for all to save squabbles .. I take a carp fishing chair, packs small and is really comfy (and I already owned it).
Wouldn't be bothered too much with the electric hook up. A cool box with two sets of ice blocks does the job just as well, and can be used when you can't get a pitch with electric. Most campsites will only charge pennies to freeze a set of blocks while you use the others.
Chairs and a table are a must, a windbreak is a very good idea, disposable BBQ's are great if its fine. Also would use a good set of non-stick pans, camping ones, whilst compact, are usually crap and everything sticks to them.
Don't forget to take a washing up bowl either.
Those plug in cool boxes are enough to keep things fresh. I've never bothered with a table and chairs for eating. Portable DVD player is a must for kids but perhaps you are trying to get away from normal life?
And most importantly hunting and foraging equipment! Wild food eaten in the open air is what you want. Stiff brush or soft wire brush is perfect for a supper of muscles that the kids collected on the beach.
for a supper of muscles that the kids collected on the beach
Are your family cannibals or did you mean to say mussels?
Fridge and one of those halogen heaters. If the weather is shit it's nice to have a cozy tent at night. Kettle and toaster are optional luxuries.
a cheap head torch for each kid - kids just love them and they can read in the tent easily.
HEre we go my thread from a few weeks ago (still getting posts on!)
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/camping
cheap electric fan heater.
have a look through the forums on UKCampsite.co.uk for all you could ever want to know.
Don't get too drunk.
Twin - Member
Wouldn't be bothered too much with the electric hook up. A cool box with two sets of ice blocks does the job just as well, and can be used when you can't get a pitch with electric.
Agree that when you go to a site without hook-up that cool box & multiple freezer blocks if fine, but a 'camping fridge' is more convenient, a half decent one will get properly cold and you don't need to worry about how cold the blocks are, when you need to change them etc.
Electric hook-up as above also gives you the benefit of plugging in a cheap halogen heater (with tilt switch) or fan heater for chilly evenings/mornings, as well as the joy of smartphone chargers....erm, and hair straighteners for the OH and.....and.....and.......
The joys of getting away from it all, hey?! 
A heater is usefull as it gets cold on an evening or if its wet. About £15 on Amazon and run on butane. Couldn't be without mine. And just noticed someone else has put the same! Its nice to be warm and snug rather than cold. Also a can and bottle opener, mp3 player.
Just switch off and relax!
Depending on how young the kids are a windbreak is an absolute must, or something you can make one from. We've just come back from a weekend in the Lakes with our tiny one and had to make a windbreak and a sunshade from a Thermarest and a bit of tent we weren't using as otherwise we couldn't put her on the floor outside. (And that's where she wanted to be).
Just got back from a weekend in the Lakes camping. The one thing that really made a difference to our time was a folding kitchen/cooking/prepping area. Folds up really small for its size and is far easier to use than just having the one table.
You can buy a cheap camping table from Argos for £20 as well.
Also, consider an awning if your tent has one available that you can buy, we got really lucky and found an awning for our Vango 500 for £50 that pretty much doubled our space.
can't believe so many people are suggesting fan heaters!
konabunny - Member
can't believe so many people are suggesting fan heaters!
Why?
Plenty of space in the car, electric hook-up for a quid or two & camping doesn't mean you have to be sat in the freezing cold.
My other half enjoys camping but feels the cold, so a halogen heater to take the edge of in the evening doesn't really seem like such a stupid idea.
If it means we can extend our camping 'season' as well by a month or two, then all well and good.
I dunno. I must be a miserable old sod.
konabunny - Member
I dunno. I must be a miserable old sod.
Maybe you'd be less miserable if you had a nice fan heater to keep the chill off?? 
Maybe that explains everything!
I have a similar sized hatchback, and go off camping at least twice a year with the family. Best thing I bought was a little Erde 153 trailer from Halfords to get all the gear out of the car - you can even get a lockable hardtop and luggage bars to put the bikes on. Depends how far you have to drive of course (our latest trip was a two day drive), but it has made a real difference to have a clear car, so wife & kids can move around, lie down for a nap etc., not to mention getting the weight off the rear axle of the car and onto it's own set of wheels. Haven't noticed any impact on fuel consumption as these light and small trailers just sit in the slipstream. And when you get to the campsite, they become storage/workbench/pantry rolled into one.
Handy for taking stuff to the tip & collecting furniture between holidays too...
its all about keeping everyone happy.
see here....laddo's happy, ipod music, wifey happy, kettle and heater...me, I'm happy with a fire and export...
its all about keeping everyone happy.
Very important point. I'm perfectly happy in a single man tent perched on a cliff top cooking some beans on a Trangia, but throw 3 children into the equation for a week and you'd be straight to The Range for a £10 fan heater!
It's supposed to be a holiday after all, no point being too puritanical IMHO.
snakebite: awwww!
snakebite , what site is that ?
Cannock chase, Springslade we have a Monty 6 for camping but I wanted a weekend tent and this 4 man 2 bed pop up fitted the bill perfectly!
Would it be rude to point out your wife and son only seem to have 1 leg each...
Must be an awful waste of right shoes in your house
I have one tip:
When someone already camping there tells you to keep any foodstuffs in the car, because the cows and/or ponies can open tents...listen and act upon it. Unlike our young neighbour and her two very young girls last year who woke up screaming with five donkeys in the main compartment of their tent at oh shit o'clock in the night/morning! They slept in the car that night!
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